Expansible bracelet



Aug. 26, 1952 BENDER 2,608,050

EXPANSIBLE BRACELET Filed June 20, 1947 INVENTOR JOSEPH M. BENDER BY 5 Y%w9 ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 26, 1952 UNITED STATES EXPANSIBLE BRACELETJoseph M. Bender, Manhasset, N. Y., assignor to J acoby-Bender, Inc.,New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application June 20,

1 Claim. 1

The present invention relates to an expansible bracelet composed of aplurality of telescoping links the resilient expansibility andcontractibility of which is derived from a single spring extendingthrough the length of said bracelet, in which means are provided foreffectively dividin the single spring into a plurality of separatelyacting spring segments.

Expansible bracelets the expansibility of which is derived from theresilience of a single spring extending therethrough are well known.They have, however, sufiered from the very serious disadvantages thatthe telescoping elements defining the bracelet would not remain inproper spaced relationship one to the other, that a pull exerted at oneportion of the bracelet to expand the same Would stretch the spring atthat portion but would leave other portions of the spring substantiallyunstretched, thereby rendering the spring subject to being stretchedbeyond its elastic limit, and that a break in the spring anywhere alongits length would completely destroy the resilient contractibility of thebracelet and render it completely useless.

Because of these substantial defects, the art has turned to theemployment, in lieu of a single expansible spring, of a plurality ofseparate contractable springs each of which is active between a pair ofadjacent telescoping links. This mode of construction has provedeifective in eliminating the defects above enumerated but has resultedin a structure the component parts of which are more expensive and theassembly of which is far more complicated, and therefore more timeconsuming and more expensive, than was the case with single springbracelets. Despite the increase in cost, however, the multiple springconstruction has been widely used, particularly in the better classexpansible bracelet.

It is the prime object of the present invention to provide a braceletconstruction which eliminates the mechanical and operational defects ofthe early single spring bracelets while at the same time employing asingle spring for the entire bracelet, thus avoiding the added expenseand assembly difficulties of the multiple spring bracelet.

It is another object of the present invention to devise a telescopinglink expansible bracelet construction employing a single spring in whichthe telescoping links are fixed in position relative to said spring.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide such abracelet in which the single spring is divided into a plurality ofseparately acting spring segments, the extensibility of each of 1947,Serial No. 755,994

2 those segments being limited so as to prevent any segment fromstretching beyond its elastic limit and to ensure that all of thesegments assume a relatively equal share of the expansion of thebracelet.

It is-still another object of the present invention to provide abracelet construction. employing a single spring which so coacts withthe individual telescoping links of the bracelet that, should the springbreak at any point, the resilient expansibility and contractibility ofthe bracelet would not be completely destroyed but would be impairedonly to a minor degree.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide aconstruction which is efiicient in operation, pleasant in appearance,simple of fabrication, and extremely easy to assemble.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing objects and such other objects asmay hereinafter appear, the present invention relates to an expansiblebracelet of the type described as defined in the appended claim and asdescribed in this specification, taken together with the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a section of a bracelet made accordingto the present invention, the bracelet being shown in fully contractedcondition;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 except that the bracelet is shown infull expanded condition;

Fig, 3 is a view on an enlarged scale, partially broken away,illustrating the details of construction of one embodiment of thepresent invention, whereby a link is positively engaged with the spring;

Fig; 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but showing an alternativeembodiment;

Fig. 5 shows yet another manner in which a link may be engaged with thespring, particularly adapted for the end links of the bracelet;

Fig. 6 illustrates a spring engaging insert which may be employed as analternative construction; and

Fig. '7 is a cross-sectional view of a link with the insert therein.

The bracelet comprises a plurality of telescoping links, here shown ashollow shells 2 with hollow connectors 4 therebetween, the links beingso arranged as to permit extensibility of the bracelet by relativesliding motion of one with respect to the other. The connectors 4 aretelescopically slidable within the shells 2 in the direction ofextensibility of the bracelet, the connectors being provided with lips 6which engage with stops 8 which may be formed as part of the end walls 9of the shells 2 so as to prevent disengagement of the connectors 3 fromthe shells 2. When the bracelet is fully contracted (see Fig. 1), theconnectors 4 are completely contained within adjacent shells 2, and aretherefore hidden from view, half of each connector 4 being receivedwithin adjacent shells 2. When the bracelet is expanded, the shells 2move with respect to one another in the direction of expansion, thismotion being permitted within limits by the connectors 4, the shellsZsliding over and exposing the connectors 4 until positive engagement ofthe lips B with the stops 8 terminates and limits such mo tion (seeFigs. 2 and 3).

To each end of the bracelet is fastened a clasp or bail II! to which,for example, a wrist watch may be attached. In its usual form, the watchis permanently attached to the bracelet, and may be taken off and put onthe wrist of the user by causing the bracelet to expand so as to fitover the hand of the user. It is therefore essential that means beprovided, once the bracelet has been expanded, to cause the same tocontract so that the same bracelet which will fit over a hand will alsosnugly contact the wrist of the user in order to retain the watchthereon. To this end, a spring I2, here shown in the form of a helix,extends through each of the shells 2 and connectors 4 and isappropriately anchored at its extremities to links I6 at the extremitiesof the bracelet. Many methods of anchoring may be employed all of whichare well known to those skilled in the art. Fig. 5 illustrates one suchmethod in which tabs I4 are struck from the top and bottom walls of theend links I6, thetabs engaging the spring I2 to positively anchor thesame in place. These links I6 may vary widely in shape and design. It isto be understood that while it is desirable, in order to achieve mosteffective use of the spring I2, that it be anchored to the links at thefar ends of the bracelet, such an arrangement is not necessary and theterm end link refers to those two links toward either end of thebracelet to which the extremities of the spring I2 may be anchored.

The construction thus far described corresponds to the prior art singlespring bracelets. It will be clear that if such a. bracelet be graspedat any one point and pulled in order to extend the same, the spring I2will be stretched, and I that the major deformation thereof will takeplace at the point of application of the pull. As

With a bracelet as thus far described, in which only the end links I6are anchored to the spring I2, the other links are free to slide alongthe spring. This condition is not of importance when the spring ispermitted to contract fully so that the connectors 4 are all receivedwithin the shells 2, as in Fig. 1. However, in the normal use of such abracelet, it must be retained on the wrist in a slightly'expandedcondition in order that contractions as well as expansions of the wristcan be accommodated. In such a slightly expanded condition, portions ofthe connectors 4 will be exposed and, if the connectors 4 and shells 2are free to move or slide along the length of the spring I2, theexposure of the connectors 4 will not be uniform throughout the lengthof the bracelet. Thus, one connector 4 might be completely exposed,while the next two or three might be completely hidden, giving rise toan unaesthetic appearance.

It will also be clear that should the spring I2 break at any point alongits length, the resilient contractibility of the bracelet would becompletely destroyed. The shells 2' would be free to slide away from oneanother to whatever extent is permitted by the connectors 4 and no forcewould exist to tend to cause the shells 2 to come together.

In order to eliminate the above disadvantages, I have provided a numberof links, preferably equally spaced along the length of the braceletbetween the end links, with a spring anchoring member which positivelyengages the spring I2 as it passes through each of those links and thusdivides the single spring I2 into a plurality of separately actingspring segments. Best results are obtained if every alternate link, thatis to say, every shell 2 or every connector 4, is provided with such aspring anchoring member. By thus constructing the bracelet, a singlespring I2 is employed which effectively acts as though a the pull isapplied, that portion of the spring I2 near the point of application isfirst stretched without affecting in any way the remainder of I thebracelet. As the pull continues, that portion of the spring I2 near thepoint of application will be further stretched while those portions ofthe spring I2 farther and farther removed from the point of applicationwill be stretched less and less. It will be apparent that one excessivepull applied to a bracelet of this type may well so distort the springI2 at the point of application that the elastic limit of the spring atthat point will be exceeded and the spring will take a permanent set.Thereafter, the bracelet will never again return to its snuglycontracted condition. Not only will this destroy the appearance of thebracelet, but the bracelet will no longer hug the wrist snugly. Even ifa single pull does not stretch the spring I2 beyond its elastic limit, aseries of strong pulls at the same point may well so fatigue the springthat lesser pulls will ultimately give rise to the same unsatisfactorycondition.

separate spring were employed to connect each pair of adjacent shells 2or connectors 4.

In the embodiment illustrated in Fig. '3, 'each shell 2, or any desirednumber of said'shells, preferably equally spaced along the length of thebracelet, is provided with a lug I8 which projects inwardly from onewall of the shell 2 and intersects the helical spring I2, passingbetween two adjacent convolutions thereof. In order to provide for freeand uniform telescoping of the con nectors 4 into the shells 2, the lugI8 is'positioned mid-way along the length of the shell 2, projectingfrom the bottom wall I9, and the bottom wall 2I of the connector 4 isprovided with a channel 20 adapted to receive the lug I8 when theconnectors 4 are fully enclosed by the shells 2'.

In the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 4, a pin 22 is passed throughapertures in the side walls 23 of the shell 2 in such a position as tointersect the spring I2 and pass between two adjacent convolutionsthereof. The pin 22 is secured in the side walls 23 of the shell by ansuitable method such as by spinning the ends thereof.

In each of the illustrations, the spring anchoring member is shown inthe shells 2 because it is desirable, in order to produce a symmetricalappearance, that the shells 2 be slidable away from one another toexpose the connectors 4 when the bracket is extended. However, many ofthe desirable effects of the described construction would be achievedwere the spring anchoring member provided in the connectors 4 or in asuitable combination of connectors 4 and shells z. In such a case, theconstruction of Fig. 5 could be employed for anchoring connectors ,4 tothe spring l2. The embodiment of Fig. 3 is particularly desirablebecause of the ease with which a bracelet embodying that contruction maybe assembled. Th'eshell'Z may be formed of a single appropriately shapedsheet of metal or the like. The two sheet edges 24 and 28 are adapted tomeet when the sheet is bent to shell form,-. the line of meetingpreferably extending parallel to the spring i2 and directly therebelow.The lug I8 is an integral extension of said sheet at one of said edges,so bent with relation to the remainder of the sheet as to assume theillustrated position when the shell has been formed.

To assemble a bracelet of this type, the end links it and the desirednumber of connectors 4 are laid end to end, the spring i2 is freelythreaded through them, and the spring is anchored to the end links [6 asby the pressin in of the tabs it of Fig. 5. The preformed metal sheetswhich are to become the shells 2 have preferably been preformed almostto shell shape and are caused to fit over adjacent halves of twoconnectors 4, the sheet then being clamped or pressed to cause the edges24 and 26 to meet, thus defining the shell 2. Simultaneously, the lug 3,having already been given its proper angular relationship to theremainder of the shell, engages with the spring I2 by passing betweentwo adjacent convolutions thereof.

The construction illustrated in Fig. 4 is somewhat more difiicult toassemble, but presents certain features, particularly of appearance,which give it advantages over the previously described construction incertain applications. The shells 2 are initially formed with the stops 8parallel to the side Walls 23 of the shell so that the connectors i arefreely insertable into the shells 2. The desired number of alternatingshells 2 and connectors 4 are telescoped together, after which the stops8 are bent 90 to the position shown in Fig. 4, thus preventing escape ofthe connectors 4 from the shells 2. The spring I2 is then threadedthrough the bracelet and anchored in any appropriate manner to the endlinks l6. Thereafter, the pins 22 are passed through the previouslyapertured side walls of the shells 2 so as to intersect the spring I2 asit passes through each of those shells by passing between adjacentconvolutions thereof. The ends of the pins 22 are spun over in order toretain the pins in the shells.

An alternative construction is illustrated in Figs. 6 and '7. An insert23 comprising a bottom wall 30 and upturned side walls 32 is adapted tobe received within a shell 2, retained therein by the stops 8 previouslydescribed. It is desirable that the insert 28 fit snugly within theshell 2 so that there is no relative motion between the two, and to thisend the tops 34 of the side Walls 32 are curved to conform to the topsof the side walls of the shell 2. A portion of the bottom 30 of theinsert 28 is punched up to define the spring engagin lug 36 which, asillustrated in Fig. 7, is adapted to pass between adjacent convolutionsof the spring 12 so as to perform the same function as the springengaging lug 18 of Fig. 3 or the pin 22 of Fig. 4. This particularconstruction presents the advantage that the shell 2 may present a cleanand unbroken appearance externally, thus enhancing the appearance of thebracelet.

By the constructions above described, an easily assembled braceletemploying a single spring .for expansibility is formed, insofar asitsoperation is concerned, into a'lbracelet havin a plurality ofseparately acting sspringysegments In the preferred embodiment,"in'which-eachshell 2 is provided :with a spring anchorin member,theshells 2 will be equally spaced along the length of the bracelet evenwhen the spring is partially or wholly extendedbecaus'e each of theshells 2 is positively anchored to the spring l2 asit passes through theshell. A uniform appearance is thus ensured no matter in which conditionthe bracelet is retained.

Undue expansion of any given spring segment is prevented. If anexpanding pull be applied to any one of the shells 2 of the bracelet,that pull will be applied, via the spring anchoring member in thatshell, to the spring at that point and that shell 2 will therefore beslid away from the shells 2, on either side thereof. Once thisseparation has reached the limit permitted by the length of theconnectors 4, the connectors 4 adjacent to the shell 2 being pulled willpositively pull the shells 2 adjacent to the shell being pulled. Thoseshells will in turn, via their own spring anchoring members, act uponand stretch the spring passing through themselves. Thus, the

maximum amount which any one of the segments into which the spring [2 isdivided may expand is limited by the distance between successive springanchoring members when the bracelet is in maximum expanded position. Anyexpansion in excess of this amount will be positively transmitted to theadjacent spring segments, and so on along the length of the bracelet.The maximum amount which any section of the spring I2 can be expanded istherefore determined by the length of the shells 2 and connectors 4,which will be fixed by design, and a spring of suitable strength may beselected and used.

Should the spring I2 break at any point along its length, the resilientcontractibility of the spring segment in which the break occurs will ofcourse be lost, but, because the spring is anchored not only at itsextremities but also at given points along its length, the expansibilityand resilient contractibility of the other spring segments will not beaffected by the break.

It will therefore be apparent that although I employ a single spring l2,thus attaining the advantages of inexpensiveness and ease of manufactureand assembly inherent in single spring bracelets, my constructiondivides that spring into a plurality of separately acting springsegments so as to achieve the functional advantages of multiple springexpansible bracelets, and this Without any appreciable increase inexpenseor difficulty of fabrication.

It will be clear from the nature of the above description that manychanges may be made in the design and appearance of my bracelet withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention as defined in the followingclaim.

I claim:

An expansible bracelet comprising a plurality of links including hollowshells and hollow connectors telescopically slida'ble in said shells andconnecting each shell to its adjacent shell but permitting a lengthwiserelative motion of said shells, a one-piece insert of sheet metal ineach of said shells conforming in part to the inner configurationthereof, having a length substantially equal to the length of saidshell, and having an integral upstruck lug substantially midway of thelength and width thereof, and a single 7 8 helical spring threadedthrough said links and UNITED STATES PATENTS anchored to the end links,each of said lugs pass- Number Name Date ing between adjacentconvolutions of said spring 311,722 Come 3 1885 as said spring passesthrough said shells and 1,520,186 Kestenman 1924 inserts, whereby saidsingle spring is divided into 6 2,302,426 Domler 1942 a plurality ofseparately acting spring segments. 2,433,657 Flaig 1947 JOSEPH M.BEN'DER.

a FOREIGN PATENTS REFER C S CITED Number Country Date The followingreferences are of record in the 10. 47 ,6 1 France June 19, 1914 file ofthis patent:

